Road-Bike Transformation: Part 1

Posted on January 18, 2011 by

So you want a good little bike to run around town on, and the cruiser-style bike just isn’t your thing, nor the serious road-bike with the curly handlebars.   This was my dilemma, at least.  So I’m converting my old road bike I got for free at a garage sale years ago.

First, to add the rack to the back.  This bike isn’t quite made to work with the rack I had, so I jimmy-rigged it a bit, using a long bolt I found in the garage to stabilize the front where it’s supposed to screw into the frame.

Next, to add a bottle holder to the frame – though this bike frame doesn’t have the little holes where the bottle holder is supposed to screw into.  Zip ties worked really well.  Had to use 4, but it seems to be lined-up pretty well.

Here's the transformation so far!

Next step:  replacing the handlebars!

Posted in Bike Work | 2 Comments

2011 Car-Free Challenge: Week 1

Posted on January 13, 2011 by

The newly-formed Oak Cliff Car-Share and Bike Friendly Oak Cliff are challenging community members to forgo using their car one day a week for the next 52 weeks.  There are prizes.  And an entry deadline (which I may have missed already.)  But I’m taking this on as my personal challenge and sharing the adventure with you.

Last Wednesday, January 5th was the first attempt.  Riding to the DART train station (a mile from my house) and riding into the office downtown (about half a mile from the train station) has become a regular adventure for me, so that wasn’t too difficult.  (Especially now that DART has removed the pole in the doorway to its handicap-accessible & bike-accessible cars!)  I realized while at work that I needed to pick up my dry-cleaning on the way home, but that didn’t prove to be as challenging as I’d thought.  I hopped-off the DART at the Tyler/Vernon station and biked the mile and a half up to Faulkner’s Fine Dry Cleaning at Davis and Windomere. It was a bit chilly, but riding works up some good body heat!  Not wanting to wrinkle-up my freshly pressed coat by sticking it in my basket, I slung it over my arm for the 2 mile ride home.  Worked out just fine.  As long as there’s no snow or serious precipitation I think this biking-in-the-winter might just work out!  If my New-Year’s Day ride to Urban Acres at 32 degrees freezing cold is a sign of what the new year holds, I may finally come to peace with the cold blustery outdoors.

Note to self: need to get some ear-muffs or one of those wide felt headband things.  Frozen ears hurt, and take forever to warm up.

 

Sunset on the way home

 

Posted in Car-Free Challenge, DART | 1 Comment

Antique Bikes

Posted on December 29, 2010 by

While shopping for antiques out in southeast Texas near Poynor, Pandora’s Box surprised me with some classic old cruisers clustered in the yard. They need a little fixin-up but they have serious potential and classic style.

Antique Bikes for sale at Pandora's Box

Check out this old beauty with the wire basket – it could probably could hold a sack of groceries, or a cute little beagle dog.

Rusty Antique Bike with Fantastic Basket

We visited the family storage room last week and I discovered my mom’s old bike that looks to be from the same era as these old beauties.

Mom's old bike, discovered in storage

This old baby’s getting new tires and a new life.  Maybe even a new paint job?  Apparently my mom painted it at least a dozen times while she was growing up.  I kind-of like the old black and red the way she did it though.  I’ll keep you posted.

Posted in Bike Work | Leave a comment

Hello World – On Line.

Posted on October 24, 2010 by

Cycling in America is becoming kind of a big deal. It’s a
social movement, an urban design movement… for some it’s always
been just cheap transportation, for others it’s a new way to assert
their hipster style savvy. Around the world cycling has lived on
with various social connotations. And the ways that governments
have promoted or discouraged cycling have shaped our cities and our
lives. Whatever’s afoot, it’s happening in my neighborhood and
everywhere I look. Urban Pedal is along for the ride.

Posted in Urban Design | 3 Comments